Elected Members of the Corporation have today voted to allow taxis to access Bank Junction for a trial period.
The decision was made by the Court of Common Council, the City Corporation’s premier decision-making body, with the change expected to come into effect in Spring 2025, provided Transport for London approve the proposal.
City Corporation Transport Officers will now be asked to draw up proposals for an experimental traffic order, to allow taxi access to Bank Junction at all times while continuing to restrict other traffic, including private hire vehicles, between 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday.
Restrictions have been in place since 2017 to limit the junction to use by people cycling and buses only.
This, along with wider improvement works to Bank Junction, have been ongoing to make the area a safer and more pleasant place to travel through and visit, as part of a strategy to:
- Reduce casualties by simplifying the junction;
- Reduce pedestrian crowding levels;
- Improve local air quality; and
- Turn Bank into a place to spend time in rather than pass through.
If approved, these temporary arrangements would run for a maximum of 18 months, during which time a monitoring exercise would be carried out to assess impacts on traffic, safety and access. A public consultation will also be carried out at this time.
A final vote at the City Corporation’s Streets and Walkways Sub Committee would then take place to decide whether the changes become permanent, or return to the current arrangements.
Members of the Court of Common Council who voted in favour of lifting the restrictions argued that, with the significant majority now being zero emission vehicles and with their strong safety record, those less able to walk, cycle and travel on public transport could have easier access to transportation, without compromising the wider vision for Bank Junction.
The final phase of Bank Junction works will finish on 30 June, delivering further footway widening, new paving, kerbs and wider pedestrian crossing points.
Trees and in-ground planters will be delivered on the streets, as part of the City Corporation’s Climate Action Strategy which commits the organisation to supporting the achievement of net zero for the whole Square Mile by 2040.
Chairman of the Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee, Shravan Joshi, said:
“The overall work programme at Bank Junction has meant that the junction is already a safer, more pleasant environment to travel through and we will carefully monitor the impact of re-introducing taxis into this vibrant area.
“For those unable to use modes of active travel, or who need transportation when public services aren’t available, black cabs have the potential to enhance this public space in line with our Destination City policy to make the Square Mile a desirable, safe and inclusive visitor destination, boosting economic growth.”
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